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Roof collapses during south Yuba City fire

Jan 09, 2013 (Appeal-Democrat - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
Firefighters were forced out of a burning Yuba City house on Tuesday after the roof collapsed in a fire that put firefighters on defense.

At 12:26 p.m., firefighters responded to a fire on the 2500 block of Garden Highway. A crew was sent inside the burning house in an attempt to find the origin of the fire, but was pulled out after large sections of the roof crashed down, said John Limas, battalion chief for the Yuba City Fire Department.

The residents were at home when the fire started, but escaped unharmed, Limas said.

Firefighters were ordered to leave the building and assume a defensive position after the house begin to crumble. They soaked the house from the outside for several hours until it was deemed safe to enter. Firefighters knocked down walls that posed a collapse threat.

Initial 911 dispatches reported an explosion at the home. But as of Tuesday evening, the cause of the fire was unknown.

"The fire is still under investigation," Limas said.

He estimated that the fire caused about $150,000 to $200,000 in damage to the home, which he said will likely be unsalvageable.

The extensive amount of damage to the 11/2-story home had one official worried.

"There's an awful lot of destruction for this close to town," said Yuba City Fire Marshall Jim Matthews. "So I am concerned."
About 20 emergency personnel responded to the scene.

CONTACT Griffin Rogers at grogers@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4783. Find him on Facebook at /ADgriffinrogers or on Twitter at @ADgriffinrogers.